Ricardo Andres Nieves, MD
Provider is directly employed by MedStar Health
Provider is directly employed by MedStar HealthSpecialties: Cardiology, Cardiovascular Disease
Languages: Spanish, English
About me
Ricardo Nieves, MD, is a cardiologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. As a general cardiologist, he treats patients with a wide range of cardiovascular disorders, utilizing traditional and advanced cardiology methods like stress testing, coronary CTA, and cardiac MRI. He is board-certified in internal medicine, echocardiography, cardiovascular disease, and cardiac MRI.
His treatment approach is patient-centered and holistic. Passionate about helping people improve their health while considering their lifestyle and the social determinants that influence their access to care, he works closely with his patients to develop a care plan that aligns with their personal goals and values. He promotes lifestyle changes, such as smoking cessation, to improve cardiovascular health.
Dr. Nieves specializes in utilizing cardiac MRI imaging technology to better diagnose, treat, and understand heart diseases such as infiltrative cardiomyopathies and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, among other processes. He is also excited about the future of 4D cardiac MRI imaging, a technology that allows cardiologists to evaluate blood flow in the heart in real-time while simultaneously evaluating the structure of the heart.
Dr. Nieves completed his medical degree at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He went on to complete his residency, internship, and two fellowship programs at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
In his career, Dr. Nieves has received several awards and honors, including the Galal M. Ziady Memorial Award for his commitment to the underserved and the UPMC Excellence in Research Award. He is a member of the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, and Alpha Omega Alpha.
Dr. Nieves speaks fluent Spanish. When he is not working with patients, he likes to play guitar, row, exercise, and spend time with his family.
Philosophy of Care
“My philosophy of care is simple: the patient comes first. It is important to me to focus on someone’s goals and fully understand where they are coming from. I believe that knowledge is power and that the more you know, the better equipped you are to take care of yourself and your health. When I sit and talk with patients, I am seeking to understand where they are coming from and how I can meet them there with information regarding their health.
Clinical areas of focus
- Angiogram
- Angioplasty
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Cardiac Catheterization Interpretation
- Electrocardiogram
- High Cholesterol Management
- Holter Monitoring
- Hypertension Treatment
- Stress Echocardiography
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abnormal Breathing
- Abnormal Electrocardiogram
- Abnormal Heart Rhythm
- Acute Bacterial Endocarditis
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Acute Endocarditis
- Acute Ischemic Heart Diseases
- Acute Myocardial Infarction
- Advanced Heart Failure
- Advanced Heart Failure (ADHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure Care
- Amyloidosis
- Angina
- Angina Pectoris
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Regurgitation
- Aortic Stenosis
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Artery Disorders
- Atherosclerosis
- Atherosclerosis Of Aorta
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Flutter
- Atrioventricular Block
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve
- Bradycardia
- Bundle Branch Block
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Cardiac Conduction Disorders
- Cardiac Murmurs
- Cardiac Sudden Death
- Cardiomyopathy
- Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia
- Chest Pain
- Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Complications Of Procedures
- Congenital Heart Valve Defects
- Congenital Malformations Of Great Arteries
- Congenital Malformations Of Great Veins
- Congenital Malformations Of Heart
- Congenital Malformations Of Pulmonary And Tricuspid Valves
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Disorders Of Autonomic Nervous System
- Disorders Of Lipoprotein Metabolism And Lipidemias
- Dyspnea On Exertion
- Eisenmenger Syndrome
- Electrical Conduction Disorders
- Fibromuscular Dysplasia
- Heart Block
- Heart Disease
- Heart Disease In Women
- Heart Murmur
- High Blood Pressure
- High Cholesterol Management
- Hypertension
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Hypotension
- Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Kawasaki Disease
- Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
- Long Term Drug Therapy
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Infarction
- Myocarditis
- Nonrheumatic Mitral Valve Disease
- Palpitations
- Paroxysmal Ventricular Tachycardia
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus
- Patent Foramen Ovale
- Pericardium Diseases
- Peripheral Artery Disease
- Peripheral Vascular Diseases
- Premature Atrial Contractions
- Premature Atrial Contractions (PACS)
- Premature Ventricular Contractions
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Pulmonary Edema
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Pulmonary Heart Disease
- Pulmonary Valve Disorders
- Renal Artery Thrombosis
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Rheumatic Heart Diseases
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Sarcoidosis
- Secondary Hypertension
- Sick Sinus Syndrome
- Single Ventricle Heart Defects
- Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Swelling In Legs
- Syncope
- Tachycardia
- Thoracic Aortic Dissection
- Transient Cerebral Ischemic Attacks
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Valve Disease With Congestive Heart Failure
- Vasculitis
- Venous Embolism
- Ventricular Aneurysm
- Ventricular Fibrillation
- Ventricular Tachycardia
Procedures I perform
- Ablation Therapy
- Angiogram
- Angioplasty
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
- Atrial Septal Defect Repair
- Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Cardiac Catheterization Interpretation
- Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Cardiac Ultrasound
- Cardiovascular Stress Testing
- Cardioversion
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Coronary Artery Disease Treatment
- Duplex Scan Of Extremity Veins
- Electrocardiogram
- Electrophysiology Study
- External Electrocardiographic Recording
- Heart Failure Treatment
- Heart Pacemaker Implantation
- Heart Transplant
- Heart Ultrasonography
- High Cholesterol Management
- Holter Monitoring
- Hypertension Treatment
- Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) Implantation
- Intravascular Ultrasound
- Leadless Pacemaker Insertion
- MRA With Contrast
- Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
- Nuclear Stress Test
- Palpitation Treatment
- Peripheral Venous Access
- Permanent Pacemaker Insertion
- Stress Echocardiography
- Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) Ablation
- Syncope Treatment
- Transesophageal Echocardiography
- Transthoracic Echocardiogram With Strain Imaging
- Transthoracic Echocardiography
- Vasopressor Administration
- Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- IH-Open HMO
- Employee Health Plan
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open POS II
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Sentara Health
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- IH-POS Plus
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Navigate
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- IH-HMO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- IH-Network Only Plus
- IH-PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- IH-EPO Plus
- Police and Fire Clinic
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst EPO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Choice POS
- First Health PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Beech Street PPO
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Choice POS II
- MultiPlan, Inc
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Choice
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Aetna Basic
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Medicare FFS
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Medicare Direct
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- HighMark
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Choice Fund PPO
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Aetna VA Exchange
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna Classic 5000
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- POS OA
- CIGNA PPO
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Optimum Choice
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- TRICARE for Life East
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Aetna Classic 3500
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- First Health PPO
- Aetna HMO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Network OA
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- IH-Indemnity
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CIGNA EPO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- OA Plus
- CareFirst NASCO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- United Student Resources
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- TRICARE East Select
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- TRICARE East Prime
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- HumanaChoice PPO
- IH-POS
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- IH-Open HMO Option
- CareFirst Administrators
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- UHC Passport
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2023)
Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2022)
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2019)
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (2016)